


Batman

by crazy_lion



Series: Not just pets [2]
Category: Demi Lovato - Fandom
Genre: Demi wants another dog, Friendship, Pain, Suffering, happiness, love for a new pet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 07:16:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15836403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazy_lion/pseuds/crazy_lion
Summary: Sequel to Buddy. Reading it is advised to better understand how the protagonist feels during the period in which this story takes place.A month after the tragedy that struck her, Demi still suffers a lot. Yet, deep down, she feels ready to get another dog. Unfortunately, too much work keeps on delaying such a moment. Will Demi's wish come true?Disclaimer: through this piece of writing, published without any lucrative aim, I have no intention to give a thruthful representation of this person's nature, nor offend her in any way.





	Batman

**Author's Note:**

> This story was originally written in Italian by me. You can find it on the website www.efpfanfic.net. My nickname there is crazy lion. I asked a friend if she wanted to translate this FanFiction in English and she said yes. We decided I could post it here so I did.

**Batman**

 

A month had gone by. Those had been the longest and hardest days of Demi's life. That afternoon she got back home from the recording studio, and as soon as she got inside the house, she felt an incredible sense of emptiness. It felt like a hood of loneliness and pain was crashing on her with indescribable violence and force. Unable to fight through them, the girl did what she had been used to for a while now: she just lied down on the couch and stayed there, staring at the ceiling. She didn't have the strength, or the sheer will, to distract herself. She let herself drown in a sea of memories, all the beautiful times she had spent with Buddy, and cried knowing those times were gone and would have never come back. Even time went by too slowly. Minutes felt like days, seconds hours. She had dinner with nothing but chicken and salad, and reflected for a long time. Was she ready to get a pet even if she was suffering so much, or was getting another dog wrong? She didn't want Buddy up in Heaven to think she was trying to replace him with another family member. It would have _never_ been like that. Demi would have _never_ forgotten him. She wished her puppy was there, jumping up on her while she was watching television, curling up on her stomach, sleeping with her or licking her face till she laughed... but that would have never happened again. It was exactly because she still had her mind and her hearth so full of him that she thought it wasn't the right time to get another pet, and yet, a part of her felt that need. She still had a lot of love to give and she knew it, but she couldn't understand if she was ready to do that. There were people who waited for months or even years to get aother pet. Some did and felt happy again, while others didn't and went on keeping memories of a little four-legged friend that was no more. She didn't want to become like that kind of people, but respected them anyway, because different people had different ways to cope with the death of an animal and react upon them. Tired, she tuned out thoughts and everything else for the night. She went to bed not long after dinner without leaving her phone on and cried again, because she was still suffering too much and the emptiness inside her was still immense.

 

 

Demi was dreaming. She was at the seaside, right in front of the water. The beach had clean sand, it was free of glass or any other junk, it was different from the ones she was used going to. It wasn't hot or too cold for that matter. It was probably spring. There wasn't anyone around and she hadn't lied down a beach towel, so she must have gone there for a walk. She didn’t remember it. She was wearing flip flops, but chose to take them off to feel the water's temperature. She inhaled deeply and listened to the waves going up and down like a single, big breath. She felt in peace with that expanse of bule water. Her breathing was still heavy, which was quite normal ever since Buddy was gone, but something had changed. She couldn't stop thinking about him, and yet was feeling better. The sound of barking distracted her. Her dog was in the shallow waters, jumping and playing and seeming to call for her.

"Buddy, my love!!" Demi exclaimed, brimming with joy.

She drew closer to him ignoring the cold sea water, but when she reached him, with water to her ankles, she couldn't touch him. He was there, she could see and hear him, but she couldn't have a physical contact with him. Buddy looked at her with his vivid, penetrating eyes. He looked happy, but it seemed to her it was so even before she approached him. Maybe he wanted to tell her not to worry, that he was happy and content.

"What do you want to tell me? What do you want me to understand?” she asked him.

He barked again and looked in another direction of the beach.

Demi followed his gaze and noticed another dog running alone. There was a woman with him, but they both looked at her intently, then the puppy barked three times, ran towards her and jumped on her. Buddy only did that once, as if to say: "That's okay. Cuddle him and take him. He's yours."

 

 

The girl slowly opened her eyes. That dream had been weird, good and bad at the same time. The psycologyst who had been following her at the clinc first and then for another two years outside of it had told her that dreams are nothing but a reflection of our soul, of what we really feel and can't even think of feeling. Was that its meaning, then? Should she have listened to her deeper self and get another dog? In his rather short life Buddy had accomplished his mission in a perfect way: loving her with all his heart. She too had loved him with her heart and soul, and now that some time had gone by, she probably would have managed to go on. The pain wouldn't have left, but diminshed. If she had got another little four-legged friend, she would have given him all the love in the world, because deep down inside she _knew_ that was what she _wanted_.

The next day, at work, she really felt better. She found out she could sing with a more powerful, more passionate voice, and didn't get tired before long, like it used to be before then. Everyone noticed that, including Phil who, at the end of that long work day, asked her what was going on. She told him about the dream and what she had thought after that.

"Do you think I'm ready?" she asked him in the end.

"I can't know. If you feel like that, and want him to love him and not to replace Buddy, I'll support you and be with you.”

The girl took a deep breath.

"It might take some time before I feel less of this pain ... but I could _never_ replace him. Buddy was special, unique, just like any animal and person is. And yes, I'm ready.”

Her manager hugged her.

"You went through a lot of pain again, a death that devastated you. You're still fighting against it, like the warrior you've always been. You'll win your battles, Demetria Devonne" he added, serious.

"Do you really think that?" she asked with the voice of a little girl, that let everyone know she wasn't convinced.

She had had problems in the past, and getting through them had always been hard. She still fought against the need to cut herself - she had felt it so many times since Buddy's death -, or the one to stop eating, or stuff her face full and then throw up. She had succeded at vanishing her demons, but would she have been able to do it forever? She wasn't sure about that. It was a daily fight that could have gone on for who knew how long ... probably all her life. She really hoped for that not to be the case, but there were moments when she thought of the exact contrary, while such a thought killed her from the inside out, making her feel like a failure despite everything she had done to get out of them.

"Yes, I believe that." He held her hand. "Please Demi, don't let yourself go" he then said, worried.

"It's okay, Phil, I'm not so desperate right now" she hurriedly reassured him, telling the truth.

"And if you ever feel like talking, know that you can always count on your family, Selena, Joe, the team and me. You're not alone, you've never been.”

"I know, thanks."

She would have never forgotten how people had been by her side through those years, how it felt the same even after Buddy's death. No one had ever minimized saying what people tend to think, that it was just a dog and not a person. Everyone knew how important Buddy was to Demi, that he wasn't just a pet, but also a member of her family.

The two of them left the recording studio and went for a coffee at the bar nearby. She wanted it to be her treat at all costs, and Phil, knowing how stubborn she could be,  decided to be lenient on her.  There weren't that many people there, and the place was quiet. They sat down at one of the tables outside to get some air. There were some vases with geraniums, jasmines and cyclamines, flowers that filled the air with pungent yet not annoying perfumes.

"What are you going to do now? Are you going to the pound?"

"Yes, I think so. I could look for an advertisement by someone who owns a litter of puppies, but I feel like adopting a dog would be better since it would mean giving a home to a pet that doesn't have one."

"I love your altruism, you know?"

The two of them exchanged a warm smile.

"I know. And I have no idea of what I would do without your friendship.”

"Oh, don't exaggerate!" Phil exclaimed, his face red with embarassment.

"That's true. There's not that many people I can count on. Real friends in a person's life are rare, and you're one of those."

"How are things with Selena?"

"Good, finally." The girl sighed. "We fought harshly for years, we haven't talked for a long time but we patched things up. Sure, it didn't happen right away as I told you, but we're on good terms. We're friends, not like before, and we love each other.”

"I'm happy to hear that.”

In the following days, Demi focused on her job, to avoid staying home too long and get a head start on the millions of things she had to do at the studio. She had written some songs at home for her next album, and was already checking them with her manager. Every time she read the words, though, there was something wrong: a word didn't really fit next to another, a verb would have sounded better in another part of a sentence, a song wasn't poetic enough or didn't rhyme well ... At the same time she was starting the recording of the few songs she had already checked, but she had to learn them by heart and it wasn't easy because she often forgot the words, so she had to repeat the whole process all over again. Her fifth album, that she was going to name _Confident_ , was coming out in October.

September came, and it was on the morning of the first day of the month that she found out she hadn't really been living that period, not just because Buddy's death had taken away a piece of her heart that she would have never got back, but because she had focused too much on her job to grant herself any tipe of leisure. While having breakfast, she felt alone. It happened pretty often, but she didn't have time to reflect upon it. She snorted as she ate her toast, and picked her cellphone to call someone. Going over the rubric, her heart beat faster when her finger reached Selena's name and she pressed the call button. After a few beeps, there was a voice from the other side.

"Hello?"

"Hi Sel, it's Demi. Am I bothering you?"

"No, but are you okay?”

"Yes, I just want to have breakfast with you. Can we meet at a bar? You choose where."

"Sure!"

Her friend gave her the name of a pastry shop and they reached it together. The place was warm and welcoming, with some tables and the walls painted yellow that made the clients feel like they were home. There was a TV, and some of the tables didn't have chairs but couches.

"How do you feel?" Selena asked abruptly.

"Better, even if I'm swamped in work.”

"I can imagine that, it's the same for me. You're tired, I can see that. Do you sleep at all?”

"Not that well" she admitted, sadly. "The last time I did that was when Buddy was still alive."

None of them talked for a while.

Selena didn't ask her how she felt because she knew. Demi had also told her she wanted to get another dog and it was because of her friend's sad expression that she chose to bring that matter up, but Demetria was faster than her.

"I don't think I have time now: too much work. I'm sorry about that because I would like a dog to keep me company, you know?"

Even though she had her family, at night she was home alone with her thoughts. Her house was empty, it didn't have any happiness in it, nor a furry bundle to cover her in cuddles. And that hurt her. A knot formed in her throat and stomach, depriving her of any appetite. The way life had taken Buddy away from her was just plain cruel, as it was the fact that now, because of a simple lack of time, it didn't give her a chance to be happy when she wanted it the most, more than anything else in the world. She discussed it with Selena opening up, and the other let her be, knowing she yearned for it. Demi let everything out, raising her voice even if she didn't want to and crying many tears. In the end she felt like the weight stuck on her soul was a little more bearable.

"Are you sure you don't have time?" Selena asked her. "You can't let your errands come between you and your happiness."

"That's how it is, sadly." Just then, her mobile started ringing. It was Phil. "See? Work calls."

It was already a miracle she could go visit her family every two or three days, considering how much time she spent at the studio.

It was with a heavy heart that she had to hug and kiss her friend goodbye, only to leave absolutely distraught.

 

 

 

Selena watched her as she walked away, instantly feeling pity for her. She would have kept her around if she could have, but she knew how important work was. It was the same for herself, but nevertheless, she hated to see Demi so sad and beaten up, and she couldn't let things go that way. She got up and smiled, convinced. She knew exactly what to do.

"You look really happy, Miss" the barman told her when the girl went to pay for them both.

Demi had forgotten about it, but it didn't matter, her friend would have surely insisted for breakfast to be her treat anyway.

"Let's just say I'm hopeful. My friend is going through a rough patch right now, and I'm trying to help her."

"That's a good thing. I wouldn't want to intrude, and pardon me if I do, but is there anything I can do?"

The man was tall, big and strong, but had a kind voice. He looked like some kind of nice giant, and Selena knew he was sincere. She hoped she wasn't wrong.

"Do you believe in God?"

It was a really personal question, but she felt the need to ask it.

Failing to understand why she had done that, the man hesitated for a moment, then answered.

"I don't go to church often, but yes. Why?"

"Then, please pray what I'm about to do is the right thing.”

With that said, she left.

 

 

 

"So, Demi, why such a title?"

She was giving an interwiev for the album she was about to release. There had been others before, and even though they were tiring, she liked them anyway.

She looked the man who had asked that question in the eye and smiled.

"Well, I think that in today's society there are a lot of people lacking self confidence, young ones, especially. They don't do that because they don't want to, but probably because they have other problems, they feel bad and suffer, or have no luck finding a job.”

"Yes, that's true."

"You see, I've been through a lot and always wanted to be honest about it, knowing there's many people out there who suffer and might feel a little better getting advice from me. Anyway, the album's title means that, even though it isn't easy for me today, I'm still confident in myself and in my abilities. It's not easy, but everyone should make it, in time. It took me years, so all I can tell you is not to rush the whole process. It's long, it has its ups and downs, but I'm sure we can make it."

"You just said something beautiful, Demi" the interviewer said. "I'm impressed.”

"Thank you, but that's not all. Every time I have to name an album I go over the tracklist and look for the one that represents it in its essence, as well as myself. In this case, the choice was easy. Also, for years I fought against myself because of my body, because I felt insecure about it. Through this song I wanted to show that now I know I'm beautiful and sexy, and let people understand that there's no point in being ashamed of who you are, no matter your body type."

"I think this might be a great piece of advice for many teenagers, Demetria. Thank you for sharing it with us."

"It was a pleasure. I know I talk a lot, and I'm sorry.”

The man laughed, and the same happened to the women working on the techical part and the direction.

"Don't worry, it's always really nice to have you here.”

"Can I just say something before I go?"

"I'm practically asking no questions, but sure, go ahead.”

She burst into laughter and blushed, feeling her cheeks burn.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to steal your job. Anyway, when it comes to the sentence before the refrain:

_So you say I'm complicated_

_That I must be outta my mind_

_But you had me underrated_

_Rated, rated_

I meant exactly that, and I mean that for years I've been ridiculed and underestimated, - and underline that this brought me to do the same to myself - and I wanted to sing that part at the top of my lungs to give it more importance."

"But then in the refrain you keep repeating:

" _What's wrong with being confident?_ "

which means there's nothing bad about it, right?”

"Yes, that's the message."

Everyone applauded her for singing a little on the radio, and after a few other questions, Demi left.

Going home she thought that every time she was about to release an album she became nervous thinking whether people would have liked it or not, and when it became available worldwide she stayed up late to send a message on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram to show how happy she was, as she felt the adrenaline run through her veins. She would have done the same that year too. Thank God there weren't any personal questions, like ones about Buddy, for example, because she knew she would have felt bad or cried.

After dinner, Demi went to her berdroom, turned on her computer and started searching for dog pounds in her area. She also read what was written on the sites, looked through pictures of dogs and environments and even took a look at reviews left by people who had been there to be sure. They all looked like great places, where the workers took care of the dogs with love and dedication, as it should have been in the first place. Despite that, Demi didn't know which one to choose. They all looked valid to her, and at first glance she didn't feel like there was a better or a worst one. Maybe it would have been better if she visited them one by one. She would have started the next day. As she was turning off her laptop, the doorbell rang. She went down to the living room, looked through the peephole and noticed it was Selena.

"Sel!" she joyfully exclaimed, as she opened the door and the gate.

"Hi Dem!"

“You must really miss me. You came here even if we saw each other this morning."

"Yes, in a way, yes."

"Anyhow, what a surprise!"

"I was just passing by and I thought I could come and say hi."

"You did the right thing, come in."

She took her hand, but the other squeezed it as if to stop her.

"Wait."

Demetria looked at her quizzically.

"I'm really not here by chance. I ... I brought you a present you might enjoy."

"But it's not my birthday" said the other.

"I know."

"Uhm ... okay then, let's see it."

She smiled weakly. It wasn't like she didn't appreciate the gesture, not at all, she just didn't expect that.

Selena opened the car door and took out a large cardboard box.

"What did you bring me, a new coffee maker? Mine broke, so I need one" joked the other, knowing it really wasn't that.

"No. Open it and take a look.”

The box wasn't completely closed. Selena had left a small opening, but Demi couldn't figure out what was inside. As she pulled up that sort of lid, her heart started beating fast, just like every time she opened a present. She didn't need to look inside, because a small, soft puppy jumped out barking happily and ending up in her arms. It was black, and its fur was curly. Demi let out an exclamation of surprise and stepped back, careful not to drop the puppy.

"Oh, God! I mean, wow! What ...?”

"I probably should have asked you, Demetria, but while we were talking today, I understood you were  ready for a dog and that this whole thing would make you happy, so I wanted to bring you a gift."

She went speechless for a few seconds, while that furry baby sniffed and licked her. It was tiny.

"Y-You mean it's all mine? Really?" she asked, like a little girl in front of her first household pet.

"Yes, I'm serious."

Selena smiled. Demi was just too cute in that moment.

As far as she was concerned, the other couldn't find her voice. She just wanted to thank her, but talking right then seemed like the hardest thing in the world.

"I don't know what to say. It was really nice of you, Selena, thank you!"

"Then that means you're not mad at me!" she exclaimed, heaving a sigh of relief.

"What are you saying? Why would I be?"

"You weren't talking anymore, so I thought you were mad at me for not telling you anything."

"No, it was just an unexpected surprise and I couldn't find the right words. God, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

She put the puppy down and hugged her friend so tight she almost choked her.

"It's nice to see you happy, and I did it with all my heart. So, did I win the "Best friend of the Year" award?"

Demi laughed.

"Of course you did."

Selena told her she had got that puppy from the pound. It was small, was just two months old and was a yorkipoo, a small dog breed. She also said he was abandoned near a dumpster, left there and brought to the shelter by a woman when he was just one month old. They had kept him until he was nursed back to health, and since dogs are weaned by two months of age, and he didn't eat from a baby bottle anymore, he was officially ready to be put up for adoption.

Demi was moved by hearing that story. How could someone just abandon an animal? It was cowardice. An adult would have surely fared well on its own, but the same thing couldn't be said for a puppy, and in any case, that was wrong. She asked Selena if she wanted to stop for a coffee.

"You're kind, but no, thanks. You two need time to get to know each other and it feels right to leave you to it. I brought you some things.”

She got back to her car and Demi had to pick up the puppy to avoid him following Selena and wandering alone in the street.

"No, that's dangerous" she warned him.

The puppy didn't retaliate, but kept looking at the girl who had just gone out.

Selena got back after a while, a booklet in her hand.

"They gave it to me at the pound. It has all the vaccinations he got. He's fine, but you can take him to the vet for another check up. I didn't know if I should bring a dog bed and a leash or not, since ... you know ...”

She stopped to avoid talking about Buddy and make her suffer, especially now that she was so happy about the new arrival.

"You can say that” Demi whispered. “I lost him. That's reality. I'll use his bed, his leash and the kibble I used to give him, it's not a problem. I was planning on doing that anyway."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

As if he understood she was sad, the puppy wanted to be in her lap again, licking her nose and making her laugh.

The two friends kissed and hugged each other goodbye, hoping to see each other again soon.

When the door closed, the dog started barking. Demi got closer to him and started talking to him in an effort to calm him down.

"What's up, boy? It's alright."

He looked around the house, drew close to her again, sniffed her trousers and then went back to doing what he liked best, piercing her ears through some relentless barking. Even though he hadn't spent that much time with Selena, he was clearly attached to her, and now, not seeing her around, he felt a little out of place.

Demi prepared his bed, a plate full of dry food and a bowl of water. The puppy ran to eat and drink, then laid down on the sofa.

_He already thinks he's the homeowner._

The girl smiled at that thought. She sat beside him and started petting him. He was so soft!

"You know, I’ve lost a dog a while ago. His name was Buddy. I suffered a lot, but now you're in my life, and I'm sure we'll have a great bond together. I'm always going to miss Buddy, but with you by my side I feel way better. I'm curious about your personality, baby, but I assure you I won't ever make comparisons between you and him.”

She knew how important it was to talk to animals about joy and pain, and that's why she did that. The dog licked her hand and barked as if to show he agreed, making her laugh again.

"You need a name" Demi continued.

There was another bark in response.

The girl read the booklet Selena had given her, and noticed the space for his name was still empty. She believed they had given him a temporary one. She wanted to give him one that reminded of something brave, something strong.

_Batman._

It came so suddenly she was impressed with herself, and yet she shouldn't have been. She was really at making up names, and the same happened with song titles.

"What do you think of Batman? Do you like it?" she asked the dog, who was sprawled on her lap.

He looked at her and barked.

"I'll take that as a yes."

To celebrate his arrival she ordered a pizza. She didn't give him any in fear it might have been bad for him, but since she had hot dogs she cut them up in small bite-sized pieces, so that he could eat them easily. Batman loved them.

"No, don't eat so fast!"

That was supposed to be a command, but that behavior made her laugh. He would have learnt in time. While Demi finished eating, the dog kept on wander around the kitchen, sniffing the air, the objects and looking at his owner. After dinner they both sat on the sofa. Demi turned on the TV and started zapping.

"Batman, do you want to watch NCIS?"

She had a real passion for that kind of television series, so much so that if she ever missed an episode she would watch it on streaming through her laptop.

The puppy barked.

"Okay, perfect."

Demi smiled as she saw him looking intently at the TV, captured by what was happening. In one of the three episodes, the police officers had dogs who helped them look for a missing person. As soon as Batman saw them, he started barking like crazy, pawing at the screen as if he wanted to catch them, or at least play with them.

"They're not real, honey."

Fearing he could fall and hurt himself while jumping, Demi was quick to place pillows in front of the TV, doing the same with the couch and the armchair. Faling to understand why those dogs didn't want to come out, the dog got tired quickly and went back to his owner, who was now busy reading up some information about yorkipoos found on an internet site. It said owners were supposed to put up little staircases or set up pillows so that dogs couldn't hurt themselves from falling, and that many had got even seriously injured because of such forgetfulness. She read everything she could, but promised herself to take Batman to the vet on the following day. The puppy used a pillow as a springboard to get back on the sofa, lying down and showing his belly, while starting to nibble at her hand after having caught it in his clutches. He hurt her a little bit, since, as it always should have been, he had his claws out at all times and sharp teeth, but the girl didn't mind. She scratched his belly and let him bite and lick her. Batman growled a few times, out of fun and not anger, of course. After a while, Demi got up and went to get a ball. It belonged to Buddy. The next day, she decided, she would have gone out to pick new toys for Batman. She threw it to him and he ran to get it, fetching it back.

"I'll get it, boy, but drop it!" she told him as he kept growling, menacingly this time, and pulling every time she tried to take it away from him.

To avoid him getting angry, Demi chose to let him have it and take it back when he wanted. After a few minutes of running around the house with that ball in his mouth, he finally left it to Demi, and the next time he brought it back right away. They had fun for a long while, then Demetria lied down on the couch, covering herself with a light blanket. Batman jumped up on her and curled up next to her, falling asleep almost instantly. Demi smiled thinking how kids did the same: once they had enough fun and get tired, they give up. Not wanting to wake him up, she chose to sleep on the couch that

night.

The next day she woke up with an aching back, but after a little stretching she felt better right away. Batman had already eaten, so she chose not to give the eggs and bacon she had made herself for breakfast. She didn't want to give him things that would have only stuffed him up. After washing herself and brushing her hair, she took him out to the garden so that he could get accustomed to his surroundings, then took him for a short walk on a leash. At first the puppy pulled a little, as if he didn't want to walk, but then let her guide him. Being so small in size, using the garden and letting him toilet there would have been enough, but Demi wanted him to walk at least a couple of times per day. They didn't get very far, otherwise the puppy would have got too tired, even if his was a breed full of energy. They met a lady with a mixed breed dog, and the two of them barked and sniffed each other, but nothing else.

"He socializes, good" Demi told herself.

Once home, Batman started jumping around and whining happily.

"You liked that, didn't you?" The girl sat down on the couch with him on her lap and said: "Baby, I need to get to work. That means I won't be home for a while. You know, I record songs that everyone likes, or at least it's been like this up until now, and I hope it will be so in the future. Anyway, I'm a singer and that's my job."

The dog looked at her and Demi felt like he could make her understand he was sad, then whined.

"Oh, don't be like that! You'll be alone for a while and I'm sorry about leaving you, but I'll be home soon, I promise."

She kissed him on the head and cuddled him through scratches and strokes. After having warmly said goodbye, a tear started running down her face. She was going to be gone for a few hours and she knew it, but the thought of leaving that puppy all alone broke her heart. Going away was hard. Once in the car, she could still hear Batman barking as if to call her. She first thought of it as some kind of hallucination, then reality settled in.

When she got to the recording studio, she had a grin from ear to ear, and when she wasn't singing, she kept telling everyone about the new arrival, about how much she loved him, and about how nice and sweet he was. Her team was really happy for her. Sure, some eventually grew tired of hearing her talk about Batman, but Demi's happiness was most important.

Once out of work, the girl went to find her parents to tell them about it.

"Oh my Goooood!" Madison exclaimed. "When can I come see him?"

She absolutely adored pets, and got emotional just thinking of petting that sweet little furball.

"This Sunday, what do you think?" her sister proposed.

"Why not tonight?"

"Madison" her mum scolded her.

"What? What did I say?" the girl snorted, impatient.

"Maddie, Batman needs time to settle down before he can meet any new people" Demi explained to her. "It's Friday, do you think you can make it?”

She smiled, thinking she would have done the same in her place.

"You're right, I'll wait. I'm just so excited, I mean, oh my God!"

Demi laughed and hugged her. She was too cute.

The three sisters and their parents were sitting in the garden, all around a table under an awning. The sun was still high up in the sky and the bird were chirping happily. Luckily, Eddie and Dianna lived in a house quite far from the urban traffic, so the whole zone was relatively quiet, much like the one where Demi lived, who, thruthfully, wouldn't have borne to live in a city where she could hear cars passing by every second of every day. The girl took a sip of her peach tea, then Eddie told her:

"I'm really happy you have another dog. You deserved such joy.”

He would have wanted to add that no one should ever have to lose a pet in that horrible way, or ran over by a car, or any other way, but he kept his mouth shut because Demi was smiling and he didn't want to sadden her again.

"I know, I'm happy too. Really" she added, since her mother was looking at her funnily, as if she wasn't that convinced.

"Sorry, baby. It's just that I want you to be happy."

Just like any other mother, Dianna wanted the very best for her darlings, and knowing how much her daughter had suffered in the past, she was always worried about her, even if she tried not to show it, not wanting to run the risk of sounding like one of those apprehensive mothers who harass their own children.

"I know, mum. I can't say I'm fine, but I'm better. Is that enough?"

"Of course!"

The two women hugged and gave each other a kiss.

"What about us?" Madison and Dallas protested in a choir.

All of them stood united in a marvelous group hug.

"Anyway, I'm really proud of you, Dem." This time Dallas was the one speaking.

"Why?"

She looked at her, puzzled. She had just got another dog, what was there to proud of?

"Because you face hardships bravely. Because life put you through so many trials, but you always walked through them all."

"I'm still not fine after everything that's happened" the other pointed out, lowering her gaze.

"I can only imagine that, but you know what I meant. Plus, you understood you needed to give love to another animal, and to him, receiving that is just wonderful."

"Buddy would want me to go on. I try" she muttered, telling them about the dream she had had, and about Batman being a gift from Selena even if she already felt at peace with getting another pet. "Who knows, maybe one day I'll get a cat. I'd like that,

you know?"

When his owner got back home, Batman ran towards her and started jumping around.

"You're happy to see me, huh? Me too! Oh, my baby!" She picked him up and started petting his soft fur. "I missed you so much!"

After taking his leash, she told him they would have gone somewhere. They got in the car and Demi placed Batman in his bed, leaving it in the car seat, hoping for him to be quiet and comfortable. He fell asleep in a matter of minutes. Once there, the girl had to wait because there were other people before her, but when she finally got to the office, the vet squealed:

"Oh, sweet Heavens, Demi, you have a puppy!"

The woman was pretty shaken up after the singer had called her to give her the terrible news, and now she was happy to see her with a new furry friend.

"Yes."

"Where did you get him?"

Demi told her everything and gave the booklet for her to check out.

“They ran some tests on him together with the vaccinations to find out if he really was fine, because they thought he might have heart problems because of poor nutrition. It seems like the other vet was very scrupulous, which makes me happy, and anyway, everything's fine. Now let's visit this little bundle of fur" she then said, picking him up and cuddling him a little bit, like she did with all the other animals.

She placed him on a table. Batman looked around, a little frazzled, so Demi started talking to him to calm him down. The vet checked his mouth, taking a few bites, and listening to his breathing, checked his ears and temperature.

"Everything's fine, Miss. His lungs are fine, the body temperature is perfect, his ears are clean and the mucous membrane of the mouth are beautiful. These dogs can have teeth problems, like tartar, so now I'll write up the name of a specific kind of toothpaste to use every day. If he gets him used to that now, he'll be healthy over the rest of the years."

She told her what kind of food to buy, when and how to trim his nails, how often she should have washed him, and gave her every piece of information.

"I think I'll have him groomed" the girl said. "I want to take care of him, I really do, but I'd be afraid to cut his nails. I wouldn't want to hurt him. That's how it used to be with Buddy."

"So you already know where to go?"

"Yes."

"Then that's fine. I'll give you a new booklet that's going to belong to your dog, so you can leave me the one you have."

The woman asked for the dog's name and wrote it down, then copied every test from the previous booklet, and after having noted everything even on a computer, gave Demi the new one.

Once out of there, the girl went to a pet store to buy what she needed. She left the dog in the car with the air conditioning on so that he wouldn't suffer the heat, and when she got back, she found him crying.

"I'm sorry Batman, I did this as quick as I could. Come on, don't be like that. I'll never abandon you." Maybe he was scared to be left alone like it happened with those idiotic owners he had before. Her heart broke at the mere thought. It took a generous dose of cuddles and reassuring, but when Batman licked her, she knew everything was okay again. "I love you, baby boy."

That night, after dinner, Demi chose to read a book. She had started _Eragon,_ the first book of the _Inheritance Cycle_ by Christopher Paolini, and she loved it. It was the first time she got close to the fantasy genre, preferring romance novels set in reality, be it past or present, but she had to admit that as far as that book was concerned, it wasn't bad at all. She would have surely finished that series only to then read others, but she still didn't know which ones. Sitting on the sofa, she read, captured by the protagonist's adventures, while Batman looked at her. Every once in a while he just flopped down from the sofa, ran around and then got back, or just had fun playing with a ball he enjoyed to carry in his mouth or let roll. When he got back to her, he sat beside her and looked at the book. Once he lowered his gaze on a page and placed his paw on it, almost as if he wanted to read.

"You're only missing the spoken word" the girl said, kissing him. She would have loved to just be there forever, in their quiet and silent house. She had no idea how she would have managed separating from her new love when the time came to go on tour. Sure, her mother would have cared for him, but Demi would have missed him terribly. She would have never gotten used to the distance, she knew that right away. Anyway, that wasn't the time to think about it. "Who knows," she said to Batman, "maybe one day I'll have a family, and you might have fun playing with my kids. I'd love to be a mom someday, you know?"

She knew that being a parent was a great responsibility, that it needed maturity and sacrifices. For now it was just a vague idea, but she had been thinking about adopting a baby or having one of her own, probably through in vitro fertilization. Whatever the case, she wouldn't have done it until she felt psycologically stable.

_I'll think about it better and more calmly_

Batman jumped on her distracting her and making the book fall off her hands, but Demi didn't mind. After a few more cuddles and some kisses she let him give her by licking her hands and face, the girl chose to go to bed. It had been a long day, and she was tired.

"Come!" she exclaimed, getting up.

She went to the bathroom and combed Batman's hair to untangle any knots in his fur, even though she found out it was neat and clean. In any case she knew yorkiepoos had to be brushed once or twice a day and she wanted to take care of him in the best way. She also decided to bathe him using dog shampoo. Once the puppy was in the sink filled with hot water he started to move his tails and his paws to play around, but Demi let out a firm:

"No"

that he luckily listened to.

He was quite obedient: nice to know. She washed him carefully, massaging him to help him relax, then dried his with a hairdryer. Initially, the puppy got scared by hearing such a strange noise, but once he understood that the thing his owner was using wasn't harmful, he calmed down. After another brushing session Batman was neat, clean and tidy, at least for a few days. He even looked more relaxed, and Demi was happy to make him feel so much at ease even during the bath. She thought it was going to be more difficult, that he would have feared it or started crying, but none of that happened. That night she brought him into the bed with her - she wanted to get him used to sleeping there every night - and put some pillows on the ground. If then she saw that nothing could happen to him she would have removed them, but for the time being, it was better to just leave things as they were. Batman sniffed the blankets, the pillow and then watched as his owner got undressed and put on her pyjamas. When she lied under the blankets, the baby snuck beside her. Soon enough, they happily fell asleep, knowing that was nothing but the beginning of their new life together.

**Author's Note:**

> credits:  
> Demi Lovato, Confident
> 
>  
> 
> Notes:  
> 1\. I read that it was Selena who gave Batman to Demi. I don't know if she's had it since 2015, or the year after and if he was in a pound, but in this story I wanted her to have him soon, because when my cat Bizet died, we didn't wait long before we got the other two. Thanks to our parents, me and my brother realized the four of us still wanted to give love to a pet and felt too empty to wait. If it were for me I would have waited because I was suffering so much and I couldn’t go through all of that, but when I saw my cats Furia and Stella I knew I had done the right thing. So, since we waited for two weeks, I wanted Demi to wait for little time to have her experience close to mine.  
> 2\. I gathered as much information as possible on the breed, so I hope I gave correct info about it. I don't know if you really should put down pillows to avoid a dog to risk hurting itself from jumping, I just read it and wanted to add it, but I can't quite put my finger on it.  
> 3\. The part about maternity isn’t just there at random. I really think Demi could be a good mom, and even if I didn't talk much about it, I didn't do it to add something, but to make a reflection. As I wrote, Demi still doesn't feel ready to have a baby. She thinks about it and wants it, but she's conscious about it meaning she has to wait to feel better first.


End file.
